Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It has a population of over 1.2 million people composed of Indians, Africans, Chinese, and French. Some of the top tourist attractions in Mauritius include Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius Botanical Garden, Port Louis, Ile aux Cerfs Island, Grand Bassin, Chamarel Park, Trou aux Cerfs, Ile aux Aigrettes, and Gabriel Island. Activities for visitors include watching dolphins, boat rides, hiking, swimming with dolphins, and touring the Moka Mountains. Transportation around the island is primarily via motor vehicles, buses, taxis,

2. O Mauritius is an island nation of the southeast coast
of African continent in the Indian Ocean.
O It is 870km from Madagascar and covers an area
of 2040km2 and the capital city is Port Louis.
O The main languages spoken are Mauritius Creole,
French and English.
O English is the only official language but
newspapers and television programmes are
usually in French. Asian languages also form part
of the languages.
O Population is composed of Indians, Africans,
Chinese and French.

3. O Mauritius island was the only home of the
dodo bird. The birds became extinct in less
than eighty years after the European
colonisers took over the island.
O They were easy prey to settlers because of its
weight and inability to fly.
O Population of the island is estimated at about
1,286,340 people.
O The currency is Mauritian Rupee and their
time zone is UTC+4.
O Driving is on the left.

5. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN
MAURITIUS
BLACK RIVER GORGES NATIONAL PARK
O Covers 6574ha, in hilly south-western part of
Mauritius.
O It was constructed to save the natural
vegetation of the island.
O Has the highest point of the island known as
the ‘black river peak’.
O Protects most of the islands remaining
rainforest and home to many species of
animals and birds.

6. O Endermic plants and animals including the
Mauritian flying fox, Mauritius Kestrel, pink
pigeon, Mauritius Parakeet, Mauritius
Cuckoo-shrike, Mauritius bulbul, Mauritius
olive white eye, Mauritius fody among
others.

8. MAURITIUS BOTANICAL
GARDEN
O Also called Pamplemousses Garden.
O Is located near port Louis and is the oldest
garden in the southern hemisphere.
O Built by Pierre Poivre in 1767, covers
37ha.
O Famous for its giant water lillies, spice
garden and unique collection of 85
varieties of palm from Central America,
Africa and islands around the Indian
Ocean.

11. PORT LOUIS
O Capital city and main port of the island.
O Port Louis was constructed in 1735 by French
governor, Mahe de Labourdonnais.
O It is sorrounded by a mountain range called
‘the port louis moka range’- worth watching.
O Has many historic and colonial buildings one
of them is a fortification named Fort Adelaide
or La Citadelle built by British in 1835.
O Main attractions here include Caudan
Waterfront, Port Louis Bazaar, Police
Baracks, The Mauritian Chinatown and Old
Port louis Theatre.

12. O The capital city has three museums i.e:
The Blue Penny museum, the Mauritius
Natural history museum and the Mauritius
stamp museum.
O Oldest post office in Mauritius near
Caudan Waterfront.
O There are also French styled buildings.

15. ILE AUX CERFS ISLAND
O Known in English as the Deer island.
O A paradise for water sports and has one of
the most beautiful beaches in Mauritius.
O Near East coast of Mauritius in the Flacq
district.
O Famous for sandy beaches, beautiful
lagoon.
O There is no deer on the island nowadays.

17. GRAND BASSIN
O Also known as the Ganga talao.
O Situated in secluded mountain area in the
district of savanne, deep in the heart of
Mauritius about 600m a.s.l
O Is a holy lake for Mauritians of Hindu
faith(claimed that the water inside the lake
communicated with the water of the holy
Ganges in India).
O Also overlooking the lake is statue of Mangal
Mahader(shira statue), which is 33m, making
it the highest statue in Mauritius.

20. CHAMAREL PARK
O 7 coloured earth and Chamarel falls.
O Landscape of chamarel is the only place
in the world with clay of seven colours at
one place.
O Colours are red, brown, violet, green,
blue, purple and yellow.
O Purple and yellow are predominant.
O Waterfall of chamarel three distinct
streams plunging down into a gorge(about
100m)

23. TROU AUX CERFS
O Is a high extinct volcano located in
curepipe, Mauritius. Is 605m in measure.
O The crater is 300m in diameter and 85m
deep.
O There is a small lake at the centre of the
crater.
O It was active until 600,000-700,000 years
ago.

25. IILE AUX AIGRETTES
O A tiny coral island of the coast of the town of
Mahebourg.
O Has been declared a nature conservation
pane for protection of natural resources and
endagered species.
O World’s rarest birds the Kestrel, rare pink
pigeon can be seen.
O Also the Green gecko helsuma and the
aldabra giant tortoise, and plant species found
nowhere else on earth.

26. GABRIEL ISLAND
O Located near the Round island and the
flat island at the extreme north of
Mauritius.
O Distance between Gabriel Island and Flat
Island is only 750m.
O Has beautiful unspoilt beaches, with
crystal clear water surrounding the entire
island.
O Popular site for snorkelling.

28. EUROKA CREOLE HOUSE
O Built in 1830 in a magnificent garden
surrounded by waterfalls of Moka river
and the Moka range.
O One of the largest houses in the island
with 109 doors and windows.
O Was restored and opened in 1986 as a
museum.
O The museum has dedicated areas to
music, art, antique maps, Chinese and
Indian house wares

30. Grand bay
• Grand Bay was the first area of the island
to fully experience the tourist boom. A
shopping and leisure paradise, Grand Bay
is also where Mauritians go when they
want a fun-filled night out (restaurants,
bars and discos). Recently renovated, La
Cuvette beach is well worth a visit.

32. Most famous waterfalls in
Mauritius.
O Chamarel waterfalls.
O Alexandra waterfalls.
O Tamarind waterfalls.
O Rochester waterfalls.
O Exil waterfalls.

33. Tamarind falls

34. Rochester falls

35. Exil waterfalls

36. Additional attractions
O Balaclava Ruins- few meters away from
Baie aux Tortues. Ruins of the old
Balaclava estate.
O Flacq market- one of the most important
villages in Mauritius. Largest open air
market in the country.
O Mahebourg- one of the main fishing
village sin the island. Main attraction is the
Monday markets- one of the biggest and
beston the island.

37. Balaclava ruins

38. mahebourg

39. Activities
• Watch dolphins — Up-close in their natural
habitat off the western coast (Tamarin) of the
island.
• Speedboat — Rides are available from Trou d'eau
Douce to the popular island playground of Ile aux
Cerfs for beaches, golf and watersports
O Horse racing — The Mauritius horse racing club
commonly called the Champ de Mars was founded
in 1812, making it the oldest horse-racing club in
the Southern Hemisphere. Horse racing is the
most popular sport in Mauritius, and you can
expect to have about 30,000 visitors on each race
day

40. O Hiking and trekking — In Mauritius with
breathtaking views of mountains, rivers, and
forests.
O Swimming with dolphins — Go on a speed boat
trip and swim with dolphins in the open sea.
O Blue safari submarine — See the wonderful
underwater tropical fish without even getting your
feet wet.
O Tour the Moka mountains — by quad bike, horse
or 4-wheel drive at the accessible nature park of
Domaine Les Pailles.

41. How to get around
O The best way to get around on land is, by
motor vehicle.
O The bus is the cheapest way to travel in
Mauritius.
O You will require an international driver’s
license to drive on Mauritian roads.
O An excitingly unique way of getting around
Mauritius is by Seaplane.
O Also by use of helicopters, boats and metered
taxis.

42. Where to stay
O Because of its developing tourism sector,
Mauritius has been able to advance its
collection of hotels that beat the standards
of all kinds of tourists.
O Examples of hotels and resorts are:
O The Paradis Hotel and Golf Club.
O Le Saint Geran.
O Shanti Ananda Maurice
O Also look up hotels in Mauritius.

43. How to get there
O By plane
O Air Mauritius is the home carrier and
operates a network of routes to the local
islands and to international destinations in
Africa, Australia, Europe and Asia.
O Some international airlines also serve
from their home bases.
O By sea with the use of yatchs.

44. references
O Mauritius travel guide.
O Wikitravel.
O Lonely planet- Mauritius.
O www.google.com
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